Red
by xStaticxTelevisionx
Summary: "For you, a rose stolen from the Mad Hatter's private gardens, with thorns as sharp as your mind," his fingers traced her temple, "Petals as soft as your skin," his hand then cupped her face, "And as red as the blood of your enemies." He finished. "That was almost romantic." 'TIS RATED T! LIKE SEVERELY T! Nothing explicit, but no kids either. :P
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! As you all know, An Old Role is over, however I got a few requests for stories within the same fanverse (is that a word? No? Can we make it a word? Pleeeease?). In this one-shot and many more to come, Alice is the Jabberwocky (because dragons). And if you haven't read Old Role, you don't have to! The beautiful thing about this one-shot and the many to come is that there absolutely does not have to be any context! :D Please leave a review in the little box! :3**

**-Static**

**/*\**

The woman glided over the frost covered ground, each step effortlessly careful and silent. It was evening, and as she stepped lightly through the winter-bared trees into the frozen meadow, she gazed up at the clouds, painted in hues of purple and blue and orange. Then she watched as the dying light refracted through the icicles present everywhere, creating vivid colors no matter which direction she looked.

Her land was not given enough credit. Though it was somewhat desolate, it was still quite beautiful.

She was lost in these thoughts as she leaned against a familiar tree, tall and skeletal, and waited, lifting her long skirts just enough so that the hem was not dirtied by the ground.

This was where they always met. It was far from either party's city of residence, and it was remote enough that their chances of getting caught were minuscule. They wouldn't get in trouble - no Role-Holder was brave or stupid enough to attempt to prosecute people like _them_ \- but it added an air of excitement. The illusion of doing something they shouldn't, well, many see the appeal. The woman witnessed secret meetings in progress all the time, and the one thing she noted in each instance was how _happy_ those couples looked.

And indeed, she too was happy. However, that happiness was quickly turning to annoyance. As much as her companion had little direction, he'd never been late to one of these assignations.

Where was he?

As she got more comfortable in her spot, allowing the bark to rest in the divot between her wings, she huffed. She was not a patient woman, and he knew that. Either he was doing this on purpose, or...

She didn't want to think about the "or". In fact, it made her feel just a bit ridiculous. This man was not a person to trifle with, and though he was rather infamous for his particular brand of psychopathy, that didn't stop people from making attempts on his life. Granted, they always ended up being mercilessly slaughtered, but it wasn't entirely unheard of for him to get an injury or two from these encounters. She had this everlasting fear, irrational though it was, that one day one of his assailants would get lucky.

The people of this world could be reincarnated, but they would not be restored to their previous state.

She did not like the idea of never seeing him again.

The woman pulled her long sleeves over her knuckles and crossed her arms, dark thoughts showing up along with the boredom. He would call her silly for her worries, but she couldn't help it. Just like she couldn't help how much she adored him. If his stupidity left him dead, she would be alone. She would never, ever replace him.

Then footsteps sounded from the trees.

Soon enough, a figure huddled in a long jacket showed up. Unlike her, he was cold, as he was holding his collar close to his face, and when he looked up, his nose and ears were a bit red. The woman gave him a girlish smile and danced over to him.

"Where have you been?" She chided, "You know how much I dislike having to wait for you." And her company merely laughed, wrapping her up in his embrace as she tackled him in her joy. She might not be able to feel physical warmth unless it was an extreme temperature, but the heat that would run down her spine when his hands found her back more than made up for that.

"My love, you must learn to be a little more patient." He murmured, pulling the silver crown off her head and kissing her hair, tracing circles into the bared skin of her back. His lady had never cared for cutting holes in her clothes to allow for her wings and tail - she had always complained how dreadfully uncomfortable that was - so she had dresses designed that left the entirety of her back completely exposed. He could understand her preferences certainly, but he still felt it was a bit immodest, though he would never say so to her face. Sure, her attire included long sleeves and skirts, but it was all too often he'd catch other men sneaking covert glances at her. The rage and jealously that would well up...

She'd had to talk him out of dismembering each and every male who looked at her.

"That would be easier," she broke him out of his reverie, "If our time together didn't get shorter and shorter with each meeting." Then she pulled back to look him in the eye. "Why were you late?"

It would be a lie if she said that she didn't get a little insecure sometimes. Her man was a beautiful one. Tall, strong, and lean, and with an even complexion and eyes the prettiest of colors...well it was far too often that she found other women gazing at him. This in itself would not upset her so much - she really couldn't blame them - if it wasn't for the fact that many were so much prettier than her. Better figures, longer hair, softer skin, nicer scents, _human_. She was beginning to comprehend his impulses to murder every man who glanced at her a little too long. She refrained her best, but...

She still had to make her assistant promise not to tell about the dead brothel girl. He would never let her hear the end of it.

"I'm sorry, but I was busy finding a present for you." He answered, and then his arms dropped from around her waist, and he took something from his outer coat pocket. It was wrapped in a piece of thin white cloth, and once pulled away revealed a rose.

"You needed that much extra time to bring me a flower from the Queen's gardens?" She questioned, her insecurities starting to rise once more. Could he have truly found someone else?!

"Love, you wound me," he answered, wrapping his two hands around hers as they grasped the little plant. "I would not bequeath a gift so easily obtained. Smell it." And so she did. Wait a second, this was from...

"You didn't..." She trailed off, her aquamarine eyes widening. Her companion merely smirked and nodded.

"For you, a rose stolen from the Mad Hatter's private gardens, with thorns as sharp as your mind," his fingers traced her temple, "Petals as soft as your skin," his hand then cupped her face, "And as red as the blood of your enemies." He finished, whispering into her hair. She giggled in a mixture of delight and appallment.

"That was almost romantic." She smiled, and he sighed,

"I _knew_ that last line would kill it." He mumbled, his eyes flickering to the ground but for a moment.

"But for you, that was quite sweet." She stated, lightly pecking him on the lips. He grinned into the kiss,

"I like to think so," he murmured,

"Are you hurt?" she questioned,

"Do you smell blood?" And she sniffed. First his neck, and then the front of his shirt.

"Yes, I do actually." She stated, "You have an injury on your chest," She poked at it and he winced, "And it appears a bullet grazed your shoulder." He sighed,

"So I've been found out." It was not a question,

"Who did it?" And to this he did not answer. Once she growled his name, in a clearly warning manner, he glared back.

"The Hatter had been conversing with his sister when I visited." And he turned away as she gasped in horror.

"Oh God," She whispered, "Vivi will have you killed." but the man shook his head,

"She didn't know I was there, and then Blood didn't actually see me." He smiled at her in what she supposed was meant to be a reassuring manner. "He saw the '_guy in the bloody cloak_' as your friend in the Amusement Park so eloquently put it. The Hatter has a secret of mine, and now I have a secret of his. Perfect conditions for a truce." The woman narrowed her eyes at him.

"Of all the people," and for a moment she had to walk away from him, she was so upset, "The Mad Hatter is the only person aside from me who can match up to you in a fight." She stated, and soon felt arms wrap around her waist, the man stepping mindfully around her tail and wings.

"Like he could ever kill me." And she craned her neck back to look at him.

"He could get lucky."

"Luck is for those who believe in it." He murmured, "But on another note," he continued, his gaze falling back to the flower that had caused so much commotion in less than one time period, "Do I not get some sort of reward for my risks today?" He asked lowly, his arms tightening around the girl's waist, voice dripping with charm and other seductive qualities. To this she grinned, and with a whirl of deliberately harmless white flame, promptly teleported several yards behind him.

"Now why would I do that?" She answered playfully, holding the flower up, the bloom covering the lower half of her face. He turned,

"Alice..." He warned,

"Ace..." She responded, mimicking his serious tone. His eyes narrowed, though she could tell he wasn't angry. He was getting excited. He stepped once towards her, and she teleported again, the fire engulfing her, and she was even further away, this time to the side.

"You never struck me to be one for coquetry."

"You never struck me as one to attempt romance." and she smiled, "What if I told you this had to be a chaste visit?" He grinned mischievously,

"It takes me approximately ten seconds to set up the tent." She tilted her head at him and placed a hand on her hip, glaring.

"We are not doing that in the _tent._" She growled, and he laughed, approaching once more. This time she let him, and she could feel her own thrill growing. Finally he took her free hand in both of his, and brought her knuckles to his lips.

"You and your silk sheets," He murmured, "You're so spoiled." And then he buried his face in the crook of her neck, where he lightly kissed her skin.

Maybe she could be persuaded to give in a little.

"Perhaps..." she trailed as he continued gracing the visible skin with kisses, "I have a _little_ time." And she felt him smirk into her shoulder.

"A little extra time is never bad." And she giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I think it's time for a change of scenery." She stated, and then the flames engulfed _both _people.

The clearing was once again left empty.

/*\

As Ace and Alice finally parted, they leaned back into the Dragon's bed, panting.

"As usual," Alice got out between breaths, "That was lovely." And she turned to face her lover, who gazed back at her with equal amounts of admiration and affection. He grinned, and took her hand, pulling her close once more.

"Do you know what else is lovely?" He questioned, and when he got no answer, he kissed her hair. "I have even _more_ time."

To that, she rolled her eyes.

As much as she loved him, he would always be a perverted knight.

**/*\**

**So...What did you think? First time writing implied...look at that I can't even say the word. xD Please leave reviews! This is probably my favorite piece I've written thus far. :D**

**-Static**


	2. Chapter 2

**Not only do I have other fanfics that I need to be writing, but I also have personal projects that I need to work on.**

**And yet here I am writing new fanfics and add-ons to one-shots.**

**I suck at maintaining things.**

**So here's the first time that Alice and Ace tried to meet together in a more intimate context. R&amp;R!**

**-Static**

**/*\**

The stars glittered in the night sky like diamonds, with the full moon letting off a bluish light that felt quite romantic. The trees rose up from the freezing ground like skeletal hands, and he couldn't remember ever feeling this cold. No, the Northern Territory was not a hospitable place. Faint outlines of scraggy cliffs peaked in the distance, and he himself was not that far away from a steep drop into a ravine. He was slightly uncomfortable being that close but...this was the only clearing with enough space.

Besides, if something were to happen - unlikely though it was - there would be no issue.

The woman he was meeting could fly.

Before he could let his mind wander, however, he needed to get warm.

/*\

She watched as he placed the branches and loose twigs in a circular formation. To this day, she did not know how he managed to collect all the necessities for survival within the frame of just a few seconds, but one moment, he had barely started a fire, and the next his tent had materialized out of nowhere.

From her vantage point she watched him sit on the ground and lean against a log. He then took out his flask, and after a long sip, he stared straight into the fire, relaxed and waiting,

He knew she was there, no less than she expected, so she lightly stepped out of from her hiding place within the trees. Her circlet shimmered in the light, the scales on her extra limbs glittering in a similar manner. The hem of her blue gown nearly touched the ice-cold dirt, and his eyes did not leave her own.

It had been a long time, since Alice had felt this uneasy in his presence. Now that she had her own Role, she could easily overpower him - she'd done it before - but this time...it was different. They'd been meeting for some time now, and those meetings had started getting a little more than friendly. They'd flirted, they'd kissed, she had even let him touch her however he wanted above the waist.

She knew she could win a fight with him, but that was on a physical level. Sure, she stood up to him plenty, but now that they were...whatever they were...she had learned that he could be persuasive when it struck him.

She wouldn't let him kiss her for weeks, and might not have given into the impulse for a good while longer had it not been for his words.

"Please, Alice? We've been meeting for a long time now, you know me, and you know that I love you." He had said, his ever-present smile adorning his face. Only he could use such phrase so lightly. She snorted,

"Presenting me with the clocks of men you've brutally murdered does not qualify as love." She responded harshly, though she herself wore a smile as well. He'd rolled his eyes and took her hand.

"As always, you misconstrued my words." And he brushed his lips over her knuckles. At this she could not help but to raise an eyebrow. "Those were not just the clocks of men I murdered, but of men who looked at you a little too...long, for my liking." A laugh bubbled up from her throat.

"Where did you get that, a bad romance novel?" She retorted. Though the blatant killings of Wonderland still perturbed her to no end, she had made her peace with it. After she had gained her Role, and understood the true relationship between clock and person...

Even when people were gunned down before her eyes, they didn't truly die. Not unless the clock was completely destroyed, as Julius had once told her. Though they were reborn as different people, they still held their most important memories, they still knew who they had been.

So it was fine. Even though it really wasn't.

Ace had grinned even wider, "Yes actually. I know you like that stuff, so I figured it was worth a try."

"You must be desperate to fall to such levels." She shot back playfully, her companion still holding onto her hand.

"Then you know how badly I want to kiss you." And the way he had looked at her, well she'd had no choice but to give in. His crimson irises glanced up at her through his absurdly long lashes, her hand still covering the lower sect of his face. His expression had looked relaxed, but even the muscles in his fingers had tensed. Then there was the scent.

Being something not quite human, Alice could detect Ace's emotions much more easily than if she was not a dragon. His humor, his energetic excitement over almost everything, his seemingly mild malice...and his adoration for her, his desire, and even more his uncertainty.

At this point in time, he had not been sure that she would accept him, and because she could so easily detect it, she knew that he was actively allowing her to know. He was keeping nothing from her, he was letting her see the vulnerability that he always kept so carefully hidden. He was trying to prove that his words were genuine.

She had actually been the one to lean forward and initiate that first kiss.

Tonight, he gave her that same half-lidded look.

He stood up and approached her, lightly pecking her lips as his hands fell to her waist.

"How are you tonight?" He asked softly, his customary greeting, letting absolutely nothing slip.

"Nervous," she answered honestly, "Excited too. Happy to see you." And she leaned into his chest while he laughed, the familiar ticking of his clock somewhat reassuring.

"That's always nice to hear." He responded.

"You?"

"What if I just said, 'ditto'?" She pulled away and looked at him, her eyebrows contorting in confusion,

"What's 'ditto'?" Alice questioned.

/*\

After answering her inquiry, Ace took hold of her hand and led her to the log. While he leaned on it from the ground, she sat atop the piece of rotting wood. Her tail curled around the log, and the end sat just a few centimeters from his side. They were close enough that he could rest his cheek against her leg, and as she let her fingers comb through his hair. For hours, all they did was talk, and the time changed from night to noon to evening to morning.

So far, it was just like any other visit.

Then it returned to nighttime. The second the sky darkened the tension returned.

They both knew what was to happen tonight, and though it was something they both agreed to on their last meeting...they were still nervous. Alice was at least. Where Ace had plenty of experience in such matters, she knew borderline nothing, which was something she was loathe to admit. Ace was probably feeling confident in his abilities, and she could smell the want radiating off his person.

As much as she loved him and trusted him...she did not want to be following his lead in this instance.

Ace stood up, pulling Alice with him. His fingers entangled with hers, and he kissed her, but this one was different. Where he was normally soft and distant, just barely brushing his lips against hers in a manner that seemed far too gentlemanly for him, now he was being far rougher. It was even more so than when he would hold her tightly to him and kiss her for what felt like hours. His hand had crept up her back, between her wings, and captured locks of her hair. The other was wrapped around her waist, and kept her solidly pinned to his chest. The message was quite clear.

This time, he wasn't letting go.

She had just been getting used to the new intensity when his mouth left hers. Now he was trailing fevered kisses down her neck and to her shoulder as she caught her breath and murmured her approval. So far this was still familiar territory, and then he...

Did he just _bite_ her?

"Ow!" she exclaimed, instinctively pushing him away and glaring accusingly.

/*\

Ace was confused. He had thought things had been going quite well. She was humming happily and returning his affections eagerly, but then she randomly cried out and pulled away, nearly growling. Could...could she have changed her mind?

"What?" he asked, trying to repress the feelings of irritation and insecurity.

She had told him time and again that she wasn't going to leave him. Every visit after they had started getting close, he would toy with the idea of actually slitting her throat, or stabbing her in the heart. He didn't want to get jilted, nor did he like the idea of her being with another man. He wanted to know that, no matter what, she was _his_.

For he was already too much hers.

"What the Hell Ace?!" She growled, both hands on her shoulder protectively, "Why'd you bite me?!"

Wait, that was the problem? Did... Was she really that inexperienced?

"...You don't know why I bit you?" He asked, a little astounded. He knew she'd had romantic relationships before. First, with the scumbag from her own world. Then she had lived in Hatter Mansion for three months, with the biggest womanizer in Wonderland who he _knew_ had been interested in her. Had no one ever shown her what it meant to be intimate? Even in so innocent a manner?

Were the kisses she had shared with him really all she knew?

He approached her carefully. She did not know the reasoning behind an action that didn't feel good, and so was reacting accordingly: like a wounded wild animal. Like a confused and hurt dragon.

"It means I love you." He murmured, lightly kissing her hair once he pulled off her scary spiked circlet. "It's...an impulse. It's something that happens when you start wanting something a little more intense than kissing."

"...I knew that one part would hurt, but aren't the other bits supposed to feel nice?" Ace was starting to get uncomfortable. Was she really so unaware?

Maybe tonight wasn't the night.

"It does feel nice," he argued, nuzzling her neck. "Some of it just takes getting used to."

"Really?" She asked, relaxing her body as he started kissing her again. Ace was feeling more confident.

"It does. Even the bites at a certain point." To this she did not respond. He had always reigned in the desire to use teeth because he knew that she probably wouldn't much appreciate it, at least not at first. Now that he knew she had never been aware of the concept of lovebites...

No, they would definitely have to wait some more. If she couldn't even tolerate the pain from a small bite, there was no way she'd survive a night in bed with him.

So he settled for kisses and snuggles, though he insisted it be in the tent.

**/*\**

**Initially I didn't want to write anything concerning Alice's transition from virgin to lover - implication or otherwise - as I've heard it's a common thing to do. At the same time, I wanted my own version where nothing happened. I wanted a setting where she got new information and have it be positive with zero judgment or embarrassment, because that's how I feel it should be in real life. Ace probably wasn't the character for this project but...it strikes me that - like other people - if he likes someone enough, he'll be genuinely nice (e.g. Julius).**

**Please leave some reviews. :3**

**-Static**


End file.
